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Candy cake cookies are a delicious candy cane-shaped cookie that is a swirl of white and red cookie dough. The perfect Christmas cookie that will elevate the look of your cookie game this holiday season.
These are vanilla-flavored cookies but you can always make them peppermint candy cane cookies for a minty cookie if you prefer that. This Christmas candy cane cookie recipe is one that you will want to make every year once you try this recipe.
You might want to try my peanut butter Christmas cookies, cherry shortbread cookies, or even consider these Grinch snowball cookies. All are fantastic Christmas cookie ideas.
Reasons You Will Love These Cookies
- A festive Christmas cookie that is gorgeous to serve up.
- These cookies are great for parties, bake sales, Christmas gatherings, and more.
- A two-colored cookie that is swirls of sweet goodness in each bite.
- These are a homemade cookie recipe that uses simple everyday pantry ingredients.
- Soft baked cookies that are dusted with sugar for a crunch.
Ingredients
Butter – Unsalted butter is what is used. Now if you use salt, make sure that you omit the salt in the recipe.
Cream Cheese – Softened cream cheese is recommended for getting a soft and fluffy cookie.
Sugar – Granulated sugar is the base of the cookie recipe. The sugar is perfectly sweet.
Egg – Reach for an egg as the binder for the cookie recipe.
Vanilla – Vanilla extract is going to sweeten the cookies to a whole new level.
Flour – Unbleached flour will be what you use. Make sure to scoop and level off the measuring cup.
Cornstarch – Cornstarch is going to completely transform the texture of the cookie.
Salt – A little table salt is needed to enhance all the flavors of the cookies.
Food Coloring – Red food coloring is used for part of the cookies.
Sugar – I added coarse sugar to the top of the baked cookies but you could also use Christmas sprinkles if you would prefer.
Variations to Recipe
I wanted to share a handful of ways to change up the cookie recipe to create your perfect candy cane cookies recipe. Pick and choose what works best for you.
- Use a flavored extract to change the flavor of the cookies. I love peppermint extract to make a minty cookie. Any extract works.
- Change up the colors of food coloring to change up the look of the cookies.
- Instead of two twirls, you can do three colors of cookie dough to make it even bigger.
- Skip the topping of coarse sugar or sprinkles on top.
- Drizzle on some white melted chocolate to the baked cookies once they have cooled. I have also dipped just the bottom portion of the cookies in chocolate before as well.
- Adjust how large or small you decide to make the cookies. I find the medium size works really well. But if you were serving a crowd I recommend doing a smaller size so you can stretch the cookies farther. Just bake them for a shorter period of time.
Tips For Success
Stand Mixer
I love using a stand mixer for whipping up this cookie dough. It helps ensure the ingredients are incorporated well. A hand mixer works as well.
Separate Bowls
Make sure to split the cookie dough in half. Then you will add the food coloring to one bowl. Mix until the colors are fully incorporated.
Fork As Guide
I sat out a fork to use as a guide for the same size of cookie dough for each cookie. Then you can use it as a guide for wrapping the two colors of cookie dough together.
Prepare Baking Sheet
Reach for a parchment paper lined tray or a cookie sheet sprayed with cooking spray. Having a prepped pan will for sure prevent the cookies from sticking. In result, you get those perfectly shaped cookies that won’t fall apart.
Let Cookies Cook Before Transferring
Letting the cookies cool for 5 minutes on the pan before you transfer to the cooling tray helps prevent breaking or altering the shape of your cookies. Therefore, you get those perfect cookies to serve up guests.
I also will say if you have silicone baking mats these are great at well for keeping the cookies from sticking to the pan. And with this option, the plastic mats are washable and reusable.
Finishing Touches
For a final touch, you can opt to add a dusting of powdered sugar or coarse sugar crystals. Although these cookies look stunning as is, you may want to decorate them a bit further. I love the granulated sugar on top. But I have done powdered sugar to mimic the look of snow.
Storing Cookies
Room Temperature – If you do not eat all the cookies right away, I recommend storing them in a sealed container at room temperature. The cookies will be stored for 4-5 days. After that, the cookies can begin to dry out a bit. But if you heat for 20 seconds or so in the microwave it can freshen them up a bit.
Freezer – You can also freeze any cookies you do not eat right away. Place in a freezer container and freeze for 4-5 months. Thaw on the counter at room temperature when you want to eat the cookies.
FAQs
Can I use store-bought cookie dough for candy cane cookies?
Sure. Just reach for a sugar cookie or shortbread cookie dough. Then split the dough in half and color part of the dough red.
How do I prevent my candy cane cookies from spreading during baking?
Make sure to allow the cookie dough to chill in the fridge. This is going to create a well-chilled dough so that when you bake it, the dough won’t spread like warm cookie dough would.
Can I make candy cane cookies without peppermint flavoring?
If you want peppermint-flavored cookies, just add a drop or two of peppermint extract into the cookie dough. Mix well and then assemble the same. A little bit of mint goes a long way.
Can I use other colors for the stripes instead of red and white?
Yes. Use any colors you want to customize this candy cane cookie recipe. I just did a classic red and white but you can use any colors you want.
What size should I make my candy cane cookies?
You can pick how large or small you want to make your cookies. I did a medium size cookie, to mimic the look of a candy cane a bit more. But feel free to make smaller candy canes. Just ensure you adjust the baking time as needed.
More Christmas Recipes
- Pinwheel Christmas Cookies
- Christmas Tree Cake
- Reindeer Crack
Candy Cane Cookies
Course Dessert
Prep Time 1 hour hr
Cook Time 8 minutes mins
Total Time 2 hours hrs 8 minutes mins
Servings 24 servings
Candy Cane Cookies are a delicious homemade cookie that is shaped to look like a candy cane. These are the best Christmas cookie to serve up at the holidays.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
- 4 ounces full fat cream cheese softened
- 1 cup white granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 3/4 cups unbleached flour
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 40-50 drops red food coloring
- Sprinkles or sugar
Instructions
In a large mixing bowl heat up the butter to soften. It takes a minute or less to get the butter softened.
Add in the cream cheese and heat again for another 15 seconds to soften it without melting the cream cheese.
Then cream the butter and cream cheese together until nice and creamy in a stand mixer or with a hand mixer.
Add in the sugar and whip up for 3 minutes creating a light and fluffy texture. I whip on medium to medium high speed.
Add in the egg and vanilla.
Next in a small bowl add the dry ingredients.
Then work the dry ingredients into the wet cookie batter. Mix to combine.
Divide the bowl in two bowls. Then add red food coloring to half the dough. I did 4-5 drops to make a nice red color.
Use a cookie scoop (1 tablespoon size) and scoop balls of the dough on a prepared cookie sheet.
Cover and refrigerate all the cookie dough for 30 minutes to an hour. You need to chill the dough.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Remove the cookie dough balls from therefrigerator a few at a time and roll into straight lines (about thelength of a fork, 7”).
Place a white line and a red line on table. Pinch end and then twist the dough. Then at the top create the hook to create the candy cane.
Place the cookies on the baking sheet. Pinch the top, and add sprinkles if you want. Then bake for 8 minutes or until the cookies are fully baked.
Allow the cookies to cool for 5-10 minutes on pan then transfer to cooling rack. Let cool then enjoy.
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